USING cash to pay for parking in the Cotswolds will soon become a thing of the past in a move to 'protect the environment and reduce crime'.

Cotswold District Council will begin a phased removal of the option to pay by cash in all car parks across the district at the beginning of March.

Cabinet made the decision to begin a four-phase approach for removing cash options from council-owned car parks at a council meeting last month. The scheme will see cash removed from all car parks across the district by the end of 2021.

Phase one of the project begins on March 1 with car parks that have repeatedly experienced theft and vandalism in Bourton-on-the-Water, Stow-on-the-Wold and Cirencester.

Cllr Mike Evemy, deputy leader of the council and cabinet member for parking said: “We are removing cash payments from our car parks to reduce our environmental impact - our team drives 20,000 miles around the district every year to collect cash from our car parks.

"We also want to eliminate theft and vandalism of the machines that has cost over £100k in the last four years as well as inconveniencing car park users.

“I would like to reassure our residents and visitors that the pay and display machines will remain and will continue to accept card and contactless payments.

"Car park users will also be able to use our new and improved payment system, PaybyPhone, which is used across the country and allows people to pay for parking by using the app or making a quick phone call.”

Phase two of the project is set to commence in June with the removal of ‘pay by cash’ option in car parks that have a higher percentage of non-cash payments. This will affect the Abbey, Old Station and the Leisure Centre in Cirencester.

Cashless parking will then be rolled out in The Forum, Sheep Street and the Waterloo in Cirencester, West Street in Tetbury and Old Market Way in Moreton-in-Marsh in August.

The final phase will see the remaining car parks introduce cashless parking in October. This will include the Brewery in Cirencester, Church Street and The Chipping in Tetbury and Market Square in Chipping Campden.

Richard Morgan, leader of the Opposition Conservative Group has consistently campaigned against the move to cashless parking.

He said: "We continue to oppose this decision and I would urge the Lib Dem administration to listen to the views of local residents and also to apply common sense!

"During 2019/20, 72 per cent of Cotswold District Council income from parking fees was paid in cash.

"We can argue as to why cash is the most popular payment option for car parks in the Cotswolds buts its indisputable that the majority of our visitors and residents want to pay by cash. "We cannot fathom why the Lib Dems wont listen on this issue and continue to make life harder for our residents, visitors and business owners.

"As we exit this latest lockdown over the next few months, we need to pull together and do all we can to make our economic recovery as easy as possible and encourage as many people as possible to visit our market towns and support our fantastic high streets.

"Obviously we would encourage the Lib Dems to think again on this one!"

Additional signs will be installed in each car park ahead of the change to inform users of the payment options available and how users can pay quickly and easily now and in the future.